The remote workforce has been more common since the pandemic forced the shift in work environments. BPO companies more commonly used it, but now, almost every industry offers remote work options. Especially since people found more benefits from working remotely, it's become a preferred environment.

That said, managing a team of remote workers is difficult because of a few factors. For the team to work, there has to be a lot of trust and good faith between the leader and members. No one is in the office to keep track of each other so leaders are dependent on their members' words. If they say they're working on their task or they're too ill to work, then the leader has to believe it. At the very least, the leader is inclined to give the member the benefit of the doubt.

However, there are many tools and techniques that can help team leaders manage a remote team. As technology evolves, so do the methods leaders can use to succeed with their teams. Hence, we will discuss the different techniques and tools you can utilize to manage your remote workers.

What are the Best Tools to Manage your Remote Team?

1. Provisioning Software

Automating UC provision offers several benefits for your team, especially the IT staff. Remote workers are the primary users of UC programs and it's a work environment that's been increasingly popular. Hence, without automation, IT staff members are all overworked, troubleshooting every employee.

However, automated provisioning tools are able to lighten their workload which eases company workflow. User provisioning tools allow members to prevent wasted energy on manual processes. This results in minimized human errors and inconsistencies. At the same time, these tools can be customized for every company's needs and specialties.

2. Asana

This revolutionary cloud-based tool is the perfect solution for effortlessly communicating with your team. Not only does it feature task management, team assignments, and project archives, but it also helps streamline remote team management.

Plus, you can try out their outstanding task system absolutely free of charge first - so you don't need to risk anything before upgrading to a premium experience. You'll be in control of tedious automated tasks saving you time.

3. When I Work

This amazing mobile application makes tracking employee hours and schedules a breeze! It allows your far-flung team to stay in perfect sync, so remote work is virtually effortless. With easy monitoring of activities, you can be sure that every task gets done with minimal effort from you. As your company keeps growing, the platform will become even more helpful as automated processes take over routine tasks - giving you and your employees more time for higher-priority matters.

4. Slack

For those looking for a way to create a comfortable and less formal working environment, Slack is the answer. This powerful communication software lets you easily chat with others individually or form groups while offering multiple channels to keep your business organized.

It's like having a virtual office space where team members can quickly connect and conversate, as well as ask questions and get responses right away, even if they are all remote workers.

Plus, the status function within Slack helps inform everyone on the team whether someone is on break, available, or out due to illness. This makes it easier for supervisors to keep tabs on their personnel when needed. All in all, Slack allows you to foster an effective collaborative working atmosphere.

What Techniques can you Use for Remote Team Management?

1. Set Expectations and Goals Early

The list of things you should do first once your team has been assembled is to establish expectations. The team needs to know what you expect them to do so they can meet your work standards. And to accompany that, you also need to set goals and boundaries as guidelines. It's important for your team to know their priorities, milestones, and policies.

It's the manager's job to keep their subordinates updated on policy and staffing changes. They're also the workers' go-to person for work tips and techniques in the long run. Hence, they're the model that other employees look up to and follow in the workplace. But by setting expectations and goals early, the employees will also be guided in their work. They won't be too dependent on their manager on how they should act as a part of the company.

2. Be as Organized and Flexible as You Can

Flexibility and organization are keys to succeeding as a remote team, let alone working as a team. For example, flexible working hours help employees maintain consistency in quality. And being flexible in understanding your team is also important to ensure they're happy at work.

If you're disorganized as a manager, the chaos is sure to spread among your team. Without clear instructions, tasks will be performed haphazardly and the quality of their work will suffer—directly reflecting on you and your leadership abilities. To maintain an organized process and team, utilize tools— automated user provisioning—to ensure everyone knows what they must do first. Don't let yourself fall, victim to the confusion that comes with disorganization!

3. Consider and Adjust the Length of Meetings

You need to consider how some things that work in the office aren't the same for remote work. Lengthy meetings are one of those and they can eat up more time than any task you give. According to statistics, the average worker spends 14.2 to 21.5 hours a week on virtual meetings.

Imagine how much your employees can do with 14 or 21 hours instead of sitting in long meetings. Instead, you can have short virtual huddles, check-ins, and other interactions that are short but necessary. Automated provisioning tools already save you and your team a lot of time. It would be best to use that time for something even more productive for the company.